Process of making space-dyed yarn



Aug. 14, 1962 M. T. OSHAUGHNESSY 3,049,397

PROCESS OF MAKING SPACE-DYED YARN Filed April 5, 1958 /3 /o M d)" V x z/22 26 /7 Fig-T2 United States Patent Ofifice 3,049,397 Patented Aug.14,1962

3,049,397 PROCESS OF MAKING SPACE-DYED YARN Marion T. OShaughnessy,Wallingford, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 3, 1958, Ser.No. 726,071 1 Claim. (CI. 1854) This invention relates to artificialtextile yarn having contiguous segments of alternating colors, and moreparticularly to an improved method for producing such a yarn.

In the production of artificial or synthetic yarns it is now a commonpractice to introduce coloring matter into the spinning solution so thatthe resultant filaments and yarn strands formed of the filaments havethe color locked in as an integral part of the yarn. It is also known toproduce artificial yarns having alternating colored segments but it hasheretofore not been practicable to produce such yarns wherein thedifferent colors are sharply divided, there generally being anappreciable length between adjacent differently colored segments whereinthe different colors are mixed together.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved methodfor spinning space-dyed yarn.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for spinninga space-dyed yarn wherein the zone of intermixing between the separatecolors is cut to a minimum so as to provide an apparent sharp line ofdemarcation between the different colors.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent as the description of a preferred embodiment thereofproceeds.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the overall apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one form of conjugate spinneret or jet ofthe type employed in carrying out the invention,

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one form of apparatus forcontrolling the flow of the different colored spinning solutions, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a different form of flow regulatingdevice.

The new method of spinning a space dyed-yarn wherein the mixing of thetwo colors between adjacent differently colored segments is minimizedcontemplates the use of what is known as a conjugate jet or conjugatespinneret, several examples of which are illustrated in the patent toKulp et al., No. 2,386,173. In such a spinneret the area immediatelyback of the face containing the orifices through which the spinningsolution is extruded to form the filaments is divided into substantiallyseparate regions, each of which is in communication with the orifices.In the usual method of spinning with a conjugate jet, spinning solutionsof different compositions are introduced into the separate regions andextruded simultaneously through one or more common orifices or jet holesto produce filaments having a composite composition whereby thefilaments have physical characteristics differing from those formed of asingle composition. In the present invention, which is of equal value inthe spinning of viscose, acetate, or other wet or dry spun syntheticfibers, spinning solutions having different colors are led to theseparate regions of the conjugate jet, and by sharply varying thepressures or rates of flow of the two solutions, as by increasing thepressure of one of the solutions while decreasing the pressure of theother, the solutions are made to flow alternately through the orificesof the jet. The use of a conjugate jet prevents any intermingling ormixing of the differently colored spinning solutions right up to thevery point of extrusion and thereby enables the production of filamentshaving what appear to be sharp lines of demarcation between thealternate colors thereof.

A preferred form of apparatus will now be described in part in detailand in part in general terms, since certain elements of the apparatusmay take various forms.

The overall arrangement as shown in FIG. 1 comprises two separateconduits 10 and 11 leading from two separate and differently coloredsupplies of spinning solution. Pumps 12 and 13 in the conduits operateat constant rates, the rates being equal or unequal depending uponwhether equal or unequal lengths of the alternate colors are desired.After leaving the pumps 12 and 13, the spinning solutions pass throughcandle filters l4 and 15 located in the conduits 10 and 11 respectively,and thence to a device 16, presently to be described in greater detail,which controls the flow or pressure of the two spinning solutions.Downstream from the device 16 the conduits 10 and 11 are connected to aspinning head generally indicated at 17.

The head 17 comprises a coupling member 18 into which the conduits arethreaded, said coupling being provided with passages 19 and 20communicating with the bores of the conduits 10 and 11 respectively. Thespinneret or jet 21 having an orifice 22 is connected to the coupling 18by means of a collar 23, a gasket 24 being positioned between the flangeof the spinneret and the coupling 18 to insure a tight seal. A cup-likemember 25 is positioned in the space between the spinneret and thecoupling 18 and said cup-like member is provided with a septum or wall26 extending transversely of the orifice 22. The edge of the septum islocated very closely adjacent the face portion of the spinneret toeffectively divide the space back of the face into two separate regions,each of which is in equal communication with the orifice 22. With aconjugate jet such as above described, if spinning solutions aresupplied at the same pressure to the separate regions of the jet, equalamounts of the two different spinning solutions will be extruded throughthe orifice 2.2. However, by sharply increasing the pressure on thesolution in one of the regions of the jet while decreasing the pressurein the other region, only that solution in the region of highestpressure will be extruded and thus by alternately simultaneouslyincreasing the pressure of one of the solutions while decreasing thepressure of the other, the differently colored solutions will be forcedalternately through the filament-forming orifice and since there is noopportunity for the differently colored solutions to intermingle up tothe very point of extrusion, the filament will have a sharp line ofdemarcation between the adjacent different colors. For simplicity ofillustration and ease of understanding, a spinneret having a singleorifice is shown in the drawing but it is to be understood that saidspinneret may take various forms such as some of those shown in theabove referred to patent to Kulp et al. and that in practice thespinneret will have more than a single orifice. The orifices may bearranged in straight or curved rows, the important feature being thatthe septum or septums extend to a point close to the orifices to preventintermingling of the differently colored spinning solutions.

Since various means may be employed for controlling the pressures withinthe different regions of the spinneret, two suitable devices foraccomplishing this will be briefly described. Referring first to FIG. 3the conduits 10 and 11 are intersected by a common chamber or reservoir27 having therein a flexible diaphragm 28 which maintains the twospinning solutions separate during their passage s through the chamber.An operating shaft 29 is connected to the diaphragm and extendsoutwardly through suitable seals in opposite sides of the chamber. Aspring 3% surrounds one end of the shaft 29 and operates between a fixedstop 31 and a collar 32 on the shaft 29 to urge said shaft and thediaphragm 28 toward the left as viewed in the drawing. On the oppositeside of chamber 27 the shaft 29 has secured to the end thereof acup-shaped member 33. Slidable within a fixed guide 34 is a rod 35having a cam following roller 36 adapted to cooperate with the steppedperiphery of a rotatable cam 37. The rod 35 is provided with a collar 38and a spring 39 is arranged to operate between said collar and thecup-shaped member 33. The spring 39 is of such force that when thefollower 36 is half way between the high and low surfaces of the cam 37,and the diaphragm is in its undeflected position, the force of thespring 39 is exactly equal to the force of the spring 30. When thefollower is on the high portion of the cam, the force of the spring 39will overcome the spring 30 and tend to deflect the diaphragm 28 towardthe right, and when the follower is on the low surface of the cam thespring 30 will tend to deflect the diaphragm to the left. Because of therelative incompressibility of liquids and the high resistances to flowdownstream of device 16, the deflections of the diaphragm will be verysmall and the springs, in their alternate positions, will act chiefly byexerting alternating forces, now on one side of the diaphragm and now onthe other, which forces will be transformed into hydrostatic pressuresby the diaphragm itself. The cam 37 may be operated from any suitablesource of power and is rotated rather rapidly so as to alternate thedirection of the net force upon the diaphragm 28 very quickly and atbrief intervals of time. The contour of the cam is designed to reduce toa minimum the periods of transition during which there is equal pressureand equal flow in the two regions of the spinneret because, aspreviously mentioned, when this balanced condition exists, equal amountsof the two solutions will be extruded through the orifice of thespinneret and this would of course result in a filament having twocolors throughout its entire length rather than the desired alternatingcolors. The chamber 27 and associated operating mechanism constitute oneform of pres sure regulating device generally indicated at 16 in FIG. 1.The flow of spinning solution to the different regions of the spinneretmay also be effectively controlled by a suitable valve arrangement suchas illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 4. Since very small incrementsof volume of the differently colored spinning solutions are involved, itis desirable when using a valve arrangement to provide conduits havingvery small passageways and such conduits are indicated in FIG. 4 at 10'and 11'. It will be understood that the conduits 10 and 11 correspond tothe previously referred to conduits 10 and 11 and that the spinningsolutions are supplied to these conduits by pumps such as the pumps 12and 13 and they terminate in the conjugate jet 17. These conduits 10 and11 lead to and from a common valve member which regulates the flowthrough the two condits and constitutes another form of regulatingdevice indicated generally at 16 in FIG. 1. Said valve comprises a bodyportion 40 and a slidable partition 41 having openings 42 and 43 thereinadapted to be alternately aligned with the passages in the conduits 10'and 11 respectively. The partition 41 is provided with a stem 44 bymeans of which said partition may be reciprocated by any suitablereciprocatory motion producing arrangement such, for example, as a camor crank shaft. If the openings 42 and 43 are round and of substantiallythe same size as the passageways of the conduits, the pulses of pressureof the two supplies will be nearly sinusoidal and there will beappreciable periods during which both conduits are partially open. Bymaking the openings 42 and 43 substantially larger than the passagewaysof the conduits, the intervals during which one or the other supply lineis open and the other closed will be of considerably longer durationthan the intervals during which one is opening and the other closing andthe effect will be to produce quite sharp lines of demarcation betweenthe differently colored segments of the resultant filaments.

As previously mentioned, the particular construction of the flowregulating device 16 is not of the essence of the present invention andthe particular forms shown are intended to be merely illustrativeexamples of two possible forms that such device may take.

While this invention now appears to have its greatest utility inconnection with the spinning of yarn strands having alternating segmentsof different colors and has therefore been so particularly described, itwill be apparent that the uses of the invention are not so limited. Thusthe alternating segments could be caused to have distinguishingcharacteristics other than color, for example, the spinning solutionsmay be polymers which are the same color but differing either inmolecular weight or copolymeric composition within the range ofcompatibility of the copolymers involved. Still other types oflongitudinally alternation of properties or characteristics will occurto those skilled in the art once the means for attaining this purpose,provided in the present invention, is made known.

Furthermore, the description of this invention set forth above hasdiscussed in detail means for producing an alternate flow of twosolutions through a conjugate jet. The principle of the conjugate jet,as set forth in the above referred to Kulp patent, is not limited to thespinning of two solutions but may by appropriate means be extended tothe spinning of three, four or more. The production of fibers possessingthree, four or more sets of characteristics in longitudinal alternation,with sharp transition zones, may be accomplished by means essentiallysimilar to those described in detail above with respect to twosolutions. The method of achieving alternation of fiber characteristicsin the case of three or more sets of characteristics is the same basicmethod described in detail with respect to two sets; the pressures ofthe several solutions are caused to vary in a coordinated manner in timein such a way that one solution is, at any one time, under asubstantially higher pressure than the others and flows through the jethole at that time to the exclusion of the others. As in the case of oftwo solutions, the control of pressure of the individual solutions maybe accomplished by mechanical means which operate directly to produce anincrease or decrease of pressure, as by the extortion of force upon adiaphragm, or alternatively by mechanical means which vary the deliveryrates of the individual solutions to the conjugate jet assembly.

Moreover, while the description above of means for producing fibershaving lengthwise alternation of characteristics has specified that thepressures on both spinning solutions should be varied in such a way thatone is raised while simultaneously the other is lowered, it will beapparent that the effect of alternation could be achieved by maintainingthe pressure of one spinning solution at a constant value and varyingpressure of the second spinning solution from a value well below thepressure of the first to a second value well above the pressure of thefirst. In that way the solution supplied at constant pressure wouldissue from the orifice at those times when the pressure upon the secondsolution had its lower value, but when the pressure upon the secondsolution was raised to its higher value, that solution would flowthrough the orifice to the exclusion of the first. While this methodwould achieve the desired lengthwise alternation of fiber properties itwould possess the disadvantage with respect to the method of operationdescribed in detail above that the polymeric solutions issuing from theorifice would do so at two different levels of pressure so that thecross-sectional area and weight per unit length of the fibers producedwould tend to vary in accordance with the variations of spinningpressure.

It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to bedetermined only by the following claim:

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

The method of spinning a constant denier filament having alternatingsegments of differing characteristics comprising introducing twodifierently characterized spinnable filament-forming solutions to twodifferent compartments of a conjugate jet which has a septum separatingthe compartments and a downwardly directed jet opening located directlyand closely below the septum, alternately raising the pressure of one ofthe solutions to a particular level while simultaneously reducing thepressure of the other solution, and maintaining the pressures of thesolutions such that the sum of the two pressures remain constant.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,386,173 Kulp et al. Oct. 2, 1945 2,503,881 Manis Apr. 11, 19502,790,833 Braunlich Feb. 12, 1957 2,815,033 Braunlich Dec. 3, 19572,822,574 Lavash Feb. 11, 1958 2,912,994 Mori Nov. 17, 1959 ATES PATENTOFFICE F CORRECTION August I l UNITED ST CERTIFICATE O in the abovenumbered ers Patent should rea Mar-i0 patertified that error appears Itis hereby c n and that the said Lett ent requiring correctio correctedbelow.

Column 3, line 59 column l lines 21 and 22, read longitudinal alteration"of" second occurrence; column 6. read 2,180,833

01 sealed this 18th day for "condits" read conduits for "longitudinallyalternation" line 45, strike out line 10, for "2 790 833 Signed an ofDecember 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

